They Can be Friends!
by lovinthor
Summary: When the all-father insists that Jane learn self-defence training, Sif is chosen to be her teacher. Sort of a Thor 2 AU. Written in response to all the Jane Foster hate on tumblr lately, because hey, Jane and Sif can be friends! Reviews would be really appreciated! :)


_(I wrote this in response to all the Jane Foster hate on tumblr lately. I wrote this to prove a. That Jane is an awesome character, and b. that she and Sif can coexist peacefully and even be friends without turning into some sort of bitchfight!)_

Jane's hands nervously pulled at her armor as she paced around the palace training yards. Not that she minded it too much; it was a welcome change from the dresses she had worn since her arrival. Since coming to Asgard she had mostly spent her time in the library, reading scroll after scroll of asgardian history or astronomy. When she wasn't off exploring the realm with Thor, of course.

But as news of the growing marauder threat came closer, the all-father had insisted that Jane be trained to use some kind of weapon. Thor had protested vigorously, but what was the use? After losing the fight Thor had insisted on training Jane himself.

Of course, on the day she was to begin Thor had suddenly been called away on some urgent nine-realms business.

Jane's emotions became even more tumultuous as she waited for her replacement trainer. She had been offered basic self-defense training at SHIELD, but she'd turned it down, not thinking it was that important. Now she wished she had taken it like Darcy, who was now skilled in three types of martial arts as well as her Taser. Of course, the time Thor had picked to take her to Asgard _had _to be the time of a galaxy-wide crisis.

"Lady Jane." A cool voice said behind her.

Jane spun around. Sif was standing at the opening to the training yard, fully clad in armor with a sword strapped to her side. Her face was a mask.

Jane's heart did a little tap dance against her ribs. Since meeting Sif the goddess had been nothing but polite to her. But Jane couldn't help feeling a little intimidated. Could it be that Sif and Thor may have been together at one point? Jane didn't like to think it was something petty like that. She was anything but petty.

She smiled politely at the goddess of war. "Hello Sif. You're my replacement trainer, I guess?"

Sif nodded, then took out a box and opened it. Inside there was a variety of deadly looking weapons. "Pick which weapon you would like and we will begin."

Jane bit her lip, looking over the box. Finally she selected a small dagger with an ornately carved handle.

"I guess I better start small." She said with a tiny smile. Sif grunted in response.

"That particular dagger is used for hitting projectile targets." She explained. "If you will see the target range here . . ."

Jane was never athletic (she had tripped over her own two feet so many times in high-school track and field that she had been forced to quit.) So she spent the whole morning failing miserably at knife throwing. The only time she'd even hit the target it was only on the very edge. Sif (bless her) was a patient teacher, but she seemed distracted. Probably because she was not at the meeting Thor had gone to. One thing Jane had learned immediately about the goddess was that she was fiercely loyal to her home. She must be going crazy, not hearing important information about the current threats to Asgard.

After Jane's one-hundredth failure with the knife, Sif sighed wearily. "I suppose we should break for the midday meal then?"

Jane nodded, and Sif lead her to a table laden with bread, cheese, and fruit. They both sat on the ground and ate in silence for a few moments.

Out of the corner of her eye Jane noticed two young women clustered near the gates of the training yard. They were dressed elegantly like the ladies of the court. One was smirking and pointing it Sif, whispering in the other girl's ear and making her giggle. Sif shot them a murderous glare, and the two feigned loud shrieks of terror and ran off laughing.

"Bitches!" Sif snarled. Jane raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's their problem?"

"They mock me because I have not chosen the life they chose!" Sif still looked furious. "Because I chose to be a warrior instead of a silly court butterfly!" Then her face took on a weary expression.

Jane edged a little closer to her. "Is it true then, that you are the only women warrior in Asgard?"

"It is true. And although I have proven myself a capable and loyal to Asgard, people still do not deem me worthy because I am female." Sif was gazing past Jane into the towering buildings surrounding them, her expression sad and a little wistful.

Jane swallowed hard. "Well, I can't imagine what it's like to be the only female warrior, but I do understand what it's like to be underestimated." Sif raised an eyebrow at her, prompting Jane to elaborate.

"Being an astrophysicist is not a field many women on earth choose to take." She explained. "I got into it because of my dad, who would bring me to his lab and take me stargazing. He made me want to learn more about the universe. I graduated collage at the top of my class with a degree in astrophysics. And I was the only girl to do so. But after that, many universities turned me away or refused to give me funding because I was a women." Jane swallowed again. "Granted, I did have some ideas about the stars that were a little more radical then most. I can't tell you how many times people have told me my ideas were crazy. Hell, even Erick thought I was crazy sometimes! But then Thor came and-"

"And then you proved everyone who doubted you wrong, because all of your theories about the stars were correct. And before that you never gave up hope that they were." Sif finished for her, looking Jane over carefully. "Lady Jane, I must admit that when we first met I was rather wary of you, thinking you may pose some treat to Asgard."

Jane stared at her. "And now?"

"And now I see that we are more alike then I had previously thought. We have both overcome many of our world's clouded perceptions of women, and we have both proven wrong people who have laughed at our dreams and ideas. Any women who can do that has earned my respect" Sif smiled at her, and Jane realized that it was the first genuine smile she had ever seen the goddess give. "Thor has chosen well."

Jane smiled back at her. "I'm glad you feel that way. So you've known Thor for a while, right?" Her smile changed to a smirk. "Did I ever tell you about the time I hit Thor with my car twice?"

Sif laughed. "Surely you haven't! But have I ever told you of the time Thor lost his hammer and had to dress as a bride to retrieve it?"

After sharing several more embarrassing Thor stories (Jane had laughed until her sides hurt at the thought of Thor in a wedding dress) they had finally gotten up and went back to work. Jane found herself much more at ease now that she felt more comfortable around Sif, and managed to hit the target with greater and greater ease. By the end of the lesson she could throw the dagger remarkably well.

It was late in the evening when Thor returned from his meeting. Having been unable to find Jane and Sif in the training yards, he had walked to Jane's room, his heart pounding. He had been rather concerned when he learned that Sif would be training Jane. Would they be at each other's throats over something or other?

What the god of thunder didn't expect to find was the two out on Jane's balcony, having a picnic and Jane pointing out to Sif which stars were undergoing supernova.

"Thor!" Jane smiled and walked over to him, planting a light kiss on his lips. "I think you'd be pleased to know that Sif taught me how to take out enemies with a dagger!"

Sif smiled. "And Jane has been teaching me about astrophysics! It is most fascinating!"

Thor sighed in relief. "Wonderful! I simply thought . . .well." His voice trailed off as he saw Sif's eyes narrow.

"Jane rolled her eyes. "You thought we were having some sort of catfight? How old do you think we are, bride of Thyrim, five year olds?" Jane winked at Thor, who flushed purple at the name.

He glared at Sif. "You did not tell her that story, did you?"

Sif laughed. "We said we were not children of five, Thor. But I believe a child of six or even ten could not resist telling humorous stories about their friends. Don't you agree, Lady Jane?"


End file.
